Egg carton



June 27, 1967 J. J. WHITE 3,327,918

EGG CARTON Filed Nov. 15, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet l J. J. WHITE June 27, 1967 EGG CARTON 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15, 1965 J. J. WHITE June 27, 1967 EGG CARTON 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 15, 1965 June 27, 1967 J, wH|TE 3,327,918

EGG CARTON Filed Nov. 15, 1965 6 SheetsSheet 5 J. J. WHITE EGG CARTON June 27, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 15, 1965 United States Patent 3,327,918 EGG CARTON John J. White, Devalta EngineeringLimited, Suite 306, 9950 197th St, Edmonton, Alberta, (Canada Filed Nov. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 507,771 Claims priority, application Canada, Dec. 9, 1964, 918,314 14 Claims. (Cl. 2292.5)

This invention relates to cartons or carriers for packaging fragile articles and particularly to a carrier formed of molded pulp for packaging eggs. Carriers of the type to which the present invention relates are used both in retail outlets as disposable, take-home egg packs and for shipping purposes where the carrier may be used a number of times as a re-tripper before being destroyed.

Normally, egg carriers of the molded variety comprise article holding and cover sections hinged together to form a closable pack or carrier. The article holding or lower sections are formed to provide rows of compartments or pockets which retain articles therein. These compartments are usually spaced from one another by saddle portions of the lower section. Further, in order to provide the cartons with sufiicient resistance to stacking loads, there normally is provided load-bearing posts upstanding in the lower section which are abutted by corresponding posts or depressions in the cover section thereby to prevent as much as possible any downwardly exerted pressure on the carton cover from crushing the eggs in the lower section. Although carriers of this type are fairly strong, the formation of depressions in the carton cover leaves little usable space for advertising printing. Moreover, carriers of the prior art do not usually provide any means for viewing or inspecting the enclosed articles without unsealing the pack. If inspection means is provided, it consists normally of a cellophane window or the like which deprives the carrier of structural rigidity.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a carrier for eggs or like fragile articles having a strong cover section to resist stacking loads but still providing substantial printing surfaces and, in addition, providing the purchaser with a carrier displaying its enclosed articles for inspection.

According to the invention, a carrier for fragile articles includes a container section and a cover section hinged thereto so as to provide a closable carrier. The container section comprises a plurality of article holding compartments that are arranged in spaced, parallel rows. The cover section includes at least a pair of spaced and upwardly projecting gable portions that are interconnected by a recessed roof portion, the gable portions being spaced above and extending over each row of compartments in the container section, with at least one article revealing aperture being formed in the gable and roof portions that substantially coincides with a compartment in the container section when the carrier is closed. A selected portion of an article in that compartment will then project through and be bounded by the perimeter of the aperture, the height of he gable and recessed roof portions being greater and less, respectively, than the height of the article when the carrier is closed.

The invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention with the carrier fully opened showing the underside of the container section and the upper side of the cover section;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the carrier of FIG- URE 1 in its closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 1 showing a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the carrier shown in FIGURE 3 with the cover section partially opened;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the carrier shown in FIGURE 4 but in fully closed position with the cover in cross section;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 1 of a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation of a plurality of carriers of the type shown in FIGURE 7 but in closed and stacked position;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGURE 11 is an end elevational view of the carrier shown in FIGURE 10 but in closed position.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings a molded pulp carrier indicated generally at 1 includes a container section 10 and a cover section 12 that is connected to the container section 10' by means of a hinge 14 integral with adjacent terminal side edges of the two sections. The carrier 1 as shown in FIGURE 1 is frilly opened, that is, this figure ShOWs the bottom of the container section 10 and the top of the cover section 12. Container section It comprises'a plurality of article holding compartments 16 that are arranged in a plurality of rows as shown, adjacent compartments being separated by saddle portions 18 and posts 20. It will be seen from FIGURE 2 that each compartment 16 is defined by a continuously curving wall 22, the upper edge thereof being integral with a rim 24 that projects outwardly from the outer edges of the walls 22, as shown.

Cover section 12 comprises a flange 26 which, as shown in FIGURE 2, is adapted to abut the rim 24' of the container section It in face contacting relation when the carrier 1 is closed. Cover section 12 includes a pair of rib formations or gables 28 which are substantially frustoconical in cross section and which are spaced above and extend over the rows of compartments 16. It will be seen from FIGURES 1 and 2 that each gable 28 is formed of an outer side wall 30 that extends upwardly and inwardly from the flange 26; an end wall 32 which also extends upwardly and inwardly from the flange 26 and which is connected to the outer side wall 30 by means of a curved corner portion 34; and an inner side wall 36 which extends downwardly toward the center of the cover section 12 in a divergent path from the outer side wall 30. As shown in the drawings, the outer and inner side walls 30 and 36, respectively, are joined at their top edges by a connecting or ceiling panel 38, but it will be understood that this upper ceiling panel of the gable 28 need not assume such planar form but may be molded in a more curved, continuously arcuate path to connect the inner and outer walls of the gables 28.

Interconnecting and integral with the lower edges of the spaced inner side walls 36 is a recessed r-oof panel 40 which, as shown in FIGURE 1, is also connected at its end edges to the upper edges of the end walls 32 of the cover section. The recessed roof panel 40 may include a reinforcing bar 42 which extends along the length of the cover section medially of the rib formations or gables 28.

The cover section 12 is provided with at least one article revealing aperture 44 that is formed in the gable 28 and the adjacent recessed roof panel 40*, as shown in FIGURE 1. The inner side wall 36 of the gable is provided with an arcuate cut-out 46 and the roof panel 40 is provided with a similar cut-out 48 to form the aperture so that, when the carrier 1 is'in its closed position and contains articles such as egggs 50 as shown in FIG- URE 2, a selected portion of an egg 50 will protrude through the cover section 12 and will be bounded by the perimeter of the aperture 44, as shown. It will be noted from FIGURE 2 that the height of the gable 28, i.e., its ceiling panel 38, is greater than the height of the egg 50 whilst the height of the recessed roof panel 40 is less than the height of the egg 50. Moreover, the width of the gable 28 at the ceiling 38 is substantially less than that of the egg 58 and of the corresponding compartment 16 in the container section 18 so that the top of the arcuate cut-out 46 of the aperture 44 substantially intersecting the central vertical axis of the compartment 16 and the egg 50 therein. It will be appreciated that the narrow upper width of the gables 28 provides an extremely strong rib formation that will resist downwardly exerted pressure on the top of the carrier 1.

It is to be noted that the gables 28 extend longitudinally of the carrier 12 in parallel spaced relationship to the rows of article receiving compartments 16 of the halfdozen carrier shown in FIGURE 1 with each gable 28 covering three compartments. Such a cover section 12 as that illustrated may, of course, be lengthened to enclose a one-dozen or 2 x 6 container section with each gable covering six compartments. Alternatively, as shown in FIGURE 3, two half-dozen or 2 x 3 carriers of the type illustrated in FIGURE 1 may be molded as a single or composite carrier 2 which, in effect, comprises two carriers 1 bound together by perforations or other lines of weakness 52 whereby a one-dozen carrier can be divided into two half-dozen carriers. In forming the one-dozen carrier 2 that may be subsequently divided, the two cover sections 12, 12 are interconnected by an integral bridge member 54 and the container sections 10, 10 are joined integrally along adjacent end edges of their respective rims 24. In this embodiment of the invention, the bridge member 54 is integral with two adjacent end walls 32, 32 as well as being integral and coplanar with two adjacent recessed roof panels 40, 40 as shown. It will be noted that the lines of weakness 52 extend up and over the bridge member 54 on the cover section and medially of the rim edges of the container section whereby the two halves of the carrier 2 may be broken apart. In all other respects, the carrier 2 is the same as the carrier 1 shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the carrier 2 of FIG- URE 3 showing a plurality of eggs 50 in the container section 10 with the cover section 12 being closed thereon and FIGURE 5 shows the carrier 2 in fully closed position illustrating the cover section 12 in cross section. In addition to the holding action by the compartments 16 in the container section it will be seen that the outer side walls 30 of the gables 28 cooperate with the perimeter of the arcuate cut-outs 46 and 48 of the apertures 44 to assist in holding each egg S0 in the proper upright position.

FIGURE 6 shows that the outer side walls 30 and ceilings 38 of the gables 28, together with the medial reinforcing bars 42, provide sufiicient flat planar surfaces to accomodate printing for advertising.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 is a composite carrier based on the 2 X 3 carrier 1 of FIGURE 1. However, three such carriers are arranged and interconnected to provide a dozen and a half of 3 X 6 carriers illustrated generally at 3 that is divisible into three 2 x 3 carriers or one 2 x 3 carrier and one 3 x 4 carrier, whatever the preference may be. Carrier 3 comprises a plurality of container sections 110 each foldably joined to a corresponding cover section 112 by hinges 114. In addition, the container sections 110 are connected in seriatum along marginal side edges of their rims 124 by perforated or like lines of weakness 152. Likewise the cover sections 112 are connected in seri atum along marginal side edges of their flanges 126 by lines of weakness 152a. g

It will be noted that, like the cover sections 12 of the carrier 2 illustrated in FIGURE 3, the plurality of cover sections 112 of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7 are interconnected by bridge members 154. However, the bridge members 154 are integral with and interconnect adjacent outer side walls 138 of gables 128 on each; cover 112 in contradistinction to the interconnection of end walls 32 in the FIGURE 3 embodiment. The provision of bridge members 154 is not essential for the flanges of the cover sections 112 can be integrally connected by a weakened line only as is the container sections. However, the bridge members 154 do provide longitudinal rigidity to the carrier 3 where the gables 128 run transverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier. For example, if the dozen and a half carrier is fully loaded and is picked up by one end, the bridge members 154 inhibit any breaking away of the outermost 2 X 3 carrier in the group, such breaking away tending to take place due to the weight of the articles in the outermost carrier of the group. The bridge members 154 also substantiate some of the longitudinal rigidity of the carrier 3 which is decreased slightly by the transverse disposition of the gables 1 28 in relation to the longitudinal axis of the composite carrier 3. In common with the FIGURES 1 and 3 embodiments, the gables 128 of the FIGURE 7 embodiment extend over three compartments in the container section 110.

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation of a pair of carriers 3 stacked one upon the other. In the left hand side of FIGURE 8, the tops of the gables 128 take the weight of the uppermost carrier by supporting the bottom walls or feet of adjacent compartments of the container section of the uppermost carton. If the carriers should be stacked irregularly, as shown in the right hand side of FIGURE 8, one row of compartments 116 of the upper carrier is supported by the outer side walls 130 of two adjacent gables 128 whilst the other row of compartments 116 is supported by the medially extending reinforcing bar 142, as shown. The arrangement is such that, even in the irregularly stacked position, the row of compartments 116 resting on the bar 142 will not apply pressure to eggs 50 protruding through associated cover sections 112.

The plurality of 2 x 3 carriers connected together to provide the composite carriers 3 of FIGURE 7 also provides sufiicient flat or coplanar surface portions to accommodate printing, as shown in FIGURE 9.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 1 to 9 inclusive, the rib formations or gables each extend over at least three compartments 16 of the container section of each carrier. The gables may, of course, extend over six compartments if, for example, the one dozen carrier in 2 x 6 form is constructed along the lines of the carrier shown in FIGURE 6. However, such a carrier would not be provided with the bridge member 54 but the gables would continue without interruption throughout the length of the carrier. It may be desirable, however, to provide a carrier with shorter, stiffer gables or rib formations and such a carrier is illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11 of the drawings.

In this embodiment, it will be considered sufficient to illustrate a 2 X 3 or half-dozen carrier only and it will be noted that each gable extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier illustrated generally at 4, with each gable covering only two compartments in the container section 210. In this manner there is provided outer gables 228a and 228b as well as a central gable 229. In common with the previously described embodiments, the two outer gables 228a and 2225b of the present embodiment are formed of outer side walls 230, inner side walls 236 and a ceiling or connecting panel 238, and these elements are integrally formed with end walls 232 adjoining the latter at curved portions 234. It will be seen from the end elevational drawing of FIGURE 11 that the third or central gable 229 runs medially of the two outer girders and serves to cover the middle row of the compartments 216 in the container section 210.

Gable 229 is formed of upwardly converging side walls 260 that are connected at their top edges to a ceiling or connecting panel 262 to provide a longitudinal rib formation frusto-conical in cross section. Unlike the gables 228a and 228b, gable 229 is positioned centrally over its adjacent row of compartments so that each of its side walls 260 is provided with arcuate cut-outs 246 which, in company with arcuate cut-outs 244 in the two adjacent recessed roof panels 240, provide apertures 248 through which eggs 250 may partially protrude. It will be appreciated that the apertures of the central gable 229 are somewhat smaller than the apertures in the remaining gables but the shorter rib formations give added strength to the carrier 4. Although only a 2 x 3 carrier is shown in FIGURES and 11, a composite carrier such as that shown in FIGURE 6 or FIGURE 9 could be made up of the 2 X 3 carriers above described. In constructing a 2 x 6 carrier from a pair of carriers 4, a bridge member would connect two adjacent side walls 230 of two adjacent gables 228 and, like the previously described embodiments, such a bridge member would be provided with a line of weakness so that the carrier could be subsequently subdivided. Such a carrier would assume the identical overall dimensions of the carrier shown in FIGURE 6 but instead of having two pairs of spaced longitudinally extending gables there would instead be six transversely extending shorter gables with the second and fourth gables having perforations on both their side walls.

Similarly, a 3 x 6 or dozen and a half composite carrier could be constructed consisting of three carriers of type shown in FIGURES l0 and 1'1. Such a carrier would have the same overall dimensions as the composite carrier shown in FIGURE 9, but instead of having six transversely extending gables with bridge members interconnecting adjacent side walls of each pair of gables of subcarriers, there would instead be nine longitudinally extending gables (three in each subcarrier) with bridge members interconnecting the shallower, previously described end walls of adjacent carriers in the group.

In all embodiments of the present invention, however, it will be appreciated that the contents of every compartment in the carrier may protrude through a provided aperture whereby the contents may readily be inspected by a purchaser.

Although the foregoing description has been concerned mainly with cartons for eggs, it will be appreciated that it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a carrier for other easily destructable articles such as tomatoes, soft fruit and the like.

I claim:

1. A plurality of interconnected and separable carriers each of which includes a container section having a plurality of article receiving compartments arranged in parallel rows thereof; and a cooperating hingeable cover section including at least a pair of spaced and upwardly projecting gable portions interconnected by a recessed roof portion; and at least one article revealing aperture formed in said gable and roof portions and substantially coinciding with a compartment in said container section when said cover is closed thereon.

2. A plurality of carriers according to claim 1 wherein the container sections of the carriers are detachably joined together along marginal edges thereof.

3. A plurality of carriers according to claim 2 wherein the carriers are further joined together by at least one bridge member interconnecting the cover sections of each pair of carriers.

4. A plurality of carriers according to claim 3 wherein each said bridge member is integral with and interconnects recessed roof portions of said cover sections.

5. A plurality of carriers according to claim 3 wherein each said bridge member is integral with and interconnects gable portions of said cover sections.

6. A carrier for fragile articles including a container section and a cover section hinged thereto so as to form a closed carrier, said container section comprising a plurality of article holding compartments arranged in spaced, parallel rows; said cover section including at least a pair of spaced and upwardly projecting gable portions interconnected by a recessed roof portion, said gable portions being spaced above and extending over each said row; and at least one article revealing aperture for-med in said gable and roof portions and substantially coinciding with a compartment in said container section when said carrier is closed whereby a selected portion of at least one article will project through and be bounded by the perimeter of said aperture; the height of said gable and recessed roof portions being greater and less, respectively, than the height of said article when said carrier is closed.

7. A carrier for fragile articles including a container section and a cover section hinged thereto so as to form a closed carrier, said container section comprising a plurality of article receiving compartments arranged in parallel rows and a rim integral with and projecting from the upper edges of the walls of said compartments; said cover section comprising a section a flange adapted to abut said rim in face contacting relation when the carrier is closed; a plurality of rib formations each being substantially frusto-conical in cross section, spaced above and extending over said rows and including outer side walls and end walls extending downwardly to said flange and inner side walls extending downwardly in a diverging path from said outer side walls, a recessed roof panel interconnecting the lower edges of the inner side walls of said ribs; and a plurality of article revealing apertures formed in the inner side *walls of the ribs and in said recessed roof panel, each said aperture being disposed above a corresponding compartment in said container section when the carrier is closed.

'8. A carrier according to claim 7 wherein weakened bridge members interconnect selected ribs and said container section is weakened intermediate selected rows therein whereby said carrier may be divided into a plurality of carriers; and wherein each said row consists of at least two compartments.

9. In a moulded pulp container for fragile articles of the type having a tray section provided with a plurality of article holding compartments in row formation and a cover hinged to said tray to form a closed carrier, the improvement comprising a plurality of rib formations in said cover, each being spaced above and adapted to overlie an adjacent row of articles in the tray section when said carrier is closed, a recessed roof panel interconnecting inner sides of said ribs; a plurality of article revealing apertures formed in said ribs and roof panel, each said aperture substantially coinciding with a holding compartment in said tray section, the width of said rib and the height of said roof panel, respectively, in cross section, being less than the width and height of articles placed in said compartments whereby, when said carrier is closed, a portion of the articles will protrude through and be bounded by the perimeter of the apertures in the cover section.

10. A container according to claim 9 including a reinforcing bar on said roof panel extending medially of said rib formations.

11. A carrier for fragile articles including a container section and a cover section hingedly connected thereto to provide a closable pack, said container section comprising a plurality of article holding compartments arranged in spaced parallel rows; said cover section including (a) a plurality of rib formations spaced above and extending over said rows in the container section, said rib formations comprising a pair of spaced parallel outer gables covering two outermost rows in said container section, each outer gable being formed of 7 8 a fiat planar outer side wall, a pair of end walls, a 14. A carrier according to claim 11 wherein each roof perforated inner side wall and a ceiling panel; panel includes a reinforcing bar extending intermediate at least one Central gable covering an intermediate of and parallel to an outer and central gable in said cover row of compartments in said container section and section extending between and parallel to said outer gables, 5 said central gable being formed of a pair of upwardly References Cit d converging perforated side walls interconnected at their top edges by a ceiling panel; and UNITED STATES PATENTS (c) at least a pair of perforated recessed roof panels 2,455,295 11/1948 each being integral with and interconnecting adjacent 1O 2 776 1/1957 gg f g li n perforated walls of an outer and central gable; 3129866 4/1964 Wade 2 5 the perforations of said gables, walls and said roof panels 3,255,947 6/1966 Butler et a1. 229-28 cooperating to form a plurality of article revealing apertures in said cover section whereby, when said carrier is closed, portions of articles in said carrier will protrude 15 through said apertures and will be bounded by the perimeter thereof.

12. A carrier according to claim 11 wherein each row p in said container section consists of two compartments. JOSEPH LECLAIR Primary Examiner 13. A carrier according to claim 11 wherein said rows 20 R PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. extend transverse to the longitudinal axis of said carrier.

FOREIGN PATENTS 797,479 7/1958 Great Britain. 

1. A PLURLITY OF INTERCONNECTED AND SEPARABLE CARRIERS EACH OF WHICH INCLUDES A CONTAINER SECTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF ARTICLE RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS ARRANGED IN PARALLEL ROWS THEREOF; AND A COOPERATING HINGEABLE COVER SECTION INCLUDING AT LEAST A PAIR OF SPACED AND UPWARDLY PROJECTING GABLE PORTIONS INTERCONNECTED BY A RECESSED ROOF PORTION; AND AT LEAST ONE ARTICLE REVEALING APERTURE FORMED IN SAID GABLE AND ROOF PORTIONS AND SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDING WITH A COMPARTMENT IN SAID CONTAINER SECTION WHEN SAID COVER IS CLOSED THEREON. 